Woeful Ignorance: The Apostate Church

"It is a sad discovery to find the woeful ignorance which prevails in congregations to-day of the great basic truths of religion, which should underpin the Christian experience. Probably we all shrink from preaching doctrinal sermons as such. The days are past when our people can stand chunks of doctrine piled on their plates for their digestion. They are not able to masticate or digest them. Minced meat–and minced small is more to their mind. But if we deal systematically and continuously with the Word of God, we come on the classic passages, on which theology has been built. When the geologist stands with you at the foot of the chalk-cliffs it is both easy and natural for him to pass from the single fossil he is handling to discuss the age out of which it came, and its relative position with other ages that have registered themselves above or below the stratum to which it belongs. Your people might present it. But what can they say when you announce as your text 1Pe_1:1-5, because you have determined to take that epistle as the subject of your next Expository course! The advantages are enormous in this direction; and the wise minister will alternate the various books of the Bible, following a book of the Old Testament with one of the New, or the story of our Lord or of His apostles with the study of the Epistle to the Hebrews or a letter of the Apostle Paul." —F.B. Meyer, Expository Preaching - Plans and Methods, 1912.

Those of you familiar with Dr. Ruckman's Commentary on Revelation will be familiar with this subject. Dr. Ruckman states at the beginning of that commentary that he is teaching it (the first 3 chapters in Revelation) practically, not doctrinally. And the reason he gave was that most people are so biblically ignorant that they would not grasp the concepts. It is a shame in this day and age that, because of the failures of the vast majority of pastors and preachers, the average Christian is not able to “endure sound doctrine.”

Paul speaking to the church which is at Corinth writes, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.” (1 Corinthians 3:1-2). This was Paul's message to the Church at Corinth. For those that remember, it was a carnal church, a church I believe is typical of the church in the last days. It is a church that places far too much emphasis on spiritual gifts, the very thing satan uses to deceive the entire world. In a sense, they majored in the minors and minored in the majors. Something the church at large seems to be doing wholesale.

"And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live." (Revelation 13:13-14).

The reason many today ape (mock) at the concept of Dispensational Truth (i.e., Sound Doctrine), even after years of sitting in a church pew, is directly linked to their lack of understanding the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. When any person rejects the light that God gives, God immediately cuts them off from any further light. God is not, under these circumstances, obligated to grant any additional illumination to that individual. And this is the reason why so many so-called preachers and teachers of God's word fall into outright heresy. (Off hand, I can think of John MacArthur, who at one time denied the necessity of the blood atonement. Though I believe he may have since recanted that statement).

You want to know why so many once-great institutions, like Tennessee Temple (a pillar of the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement), return to the Southern Baptist Convention and eventually close their doors completely? Want to know why so many Protestant denominations (the children of the Mother of Harlots) seem hell-bent on marching back to Rome? And why the great push for all the denominations to get along, doctrine be damned? The answer is plain: the outright rejection of biblical truth. You see, doctrine divides, and always has. And this goes contrary to the spirit of this age, which preaches unity. "And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do." (Genesis 11:6). One race, one sex (LGBTQ+), one language (English), one world religion (Ecumenism). Observe closely what 2 Thessalonians says.

"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thessalonians 2:9 - 2:12).

Notice why they are going to be deceived: "because they received not the love of the truth". Reject the light in which God gives, and you'll eventually end up a Jehovah's Witness, or a Campbellite, or God forbid, end up sitting in a Catholic Church confessing your sins to a child pervert. The fact is, it's impossible to know how far a person can go when they reject the light (the truth). Those people, the ones mentioned in 2 Thessalonians, eventually go into everlasting fire and torment because they reject the truth.

The key to a strong, thriving Church, one that can stand the tide of false doctrine, one that is not carried about with every wind of doctrine, is one that's grounded in proper biblical exegesis (2 Timothy 2:15). Without which no church nor individual, for that matter, can "earnestly contend for the faith." The spiritualizing crowd rejects the literal biblical interpretation of Scripture. Their method relies solely on private interpretation, which thing the Scripture rejects (2 Peter 1:20).

Now, I do not agree with much of what Dr. Cloud writes or says, and I certainly do not agree with his position on the King James Bible issue. However, he mentioned one time that he believed every local church ought to be a serious Bible Institute. And to this I heartily agree. As Doc once said, the local church is nothing more than a Forward Operating Base (F.O.B.) in enemy territory. And that means if the enemy has breached the camp, we've got serious problems. And under no circumstances should we be inviting them in. The church is not a place for entertaining lost people (a concept popularised by the invention of the mega-church). We don't need disco balls, coffee bars, and rock concerts to evangelise the lost. We need strong Christians skillful in the word of Truth, and equipped with the right doctrine, who can infiltrate the enemy camp and raze it to the ground. If you want this lost and dying world to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, they should hear it in the streets. It was the method of Wesley (Founder of the Methodist Church), now totally apostate. It was the method of William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army), who is now likewise totally apostate. And it was the method of every prophet and apostle without exception in the Scriptures to include the Lord Jesus Christ.

God warned Israel time and time again in the Old Testament against the mixed multitude, and against mingling themselves together with the inhabitants of the land (remember Balaam). That by mingling together with them, they would not make the heathen like them, but that they'd eventually end up making Israel like the heathen. Now fast-forward to today, and we see why the church is in the state it's in. The early church was out in public, the later church is huddled within four walls, inviting the mixed multitude in. The biblical method is for us to go out, not for them to come in.

Many of you, I am sure, are familiar with the prophets Ezra and Nehemiah. In both their accounts, they deal with the same fundamental issue—the mixed multitude. And in both cases, it hinders the work of God. But upon deeper analysis, though they had issues with the mixed multitude, the mixed multitude wasn't the root cause. It was merely a symptom or a byproduct of a fundamental problem that lay beneath. The root cause in both cases was the rejection of the word of God, that is, God's precepts. Notice here what Ezra writes: "And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. (Ezra 9:6-11).

Again, in Nehemiah, we find the same situation. "In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin. Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives? And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good." (Nehemiah 13:23-31).

Now, folks, is this not a warning to us? Is this not a picture of the church in the day in which we live? Is God not telling us not to mingle ourselves together with lost people? And what for? Because they disregarded the precepts of God. And the church today is no different.

It is a sad truth that many who have escaped the pollutions of this world go back to wallowing in the mire because they do not heed this simple truth. Instead of separating themselves as the Bible clearly tells us to, they disregard the admonition of God (the word of God) to separate from their former friends and family; they think they know better than God. And they wonder why their life is a train wreck. These same truths apply to the church. No church can stand that is not grounded in truth. And no church can withstand the onslaught of this present apostacy without its members being properly instructed in the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith (i.e., right division). "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14).

I do not think it a coincidence that nearly every church I have visited in the past few years that is either dead or dying or is ripe for the picking (subject to a hostile takeover), are churches where no "right division" is being taught. And because of this fundamental denial of biblical truth, they are being led like lambs to the slaughter. They are subject to believing the fables of the most baneful of men. And why? "...because they received not the love of the truth".

And this was the same thing Paul wrote in Romans concerning the lost. Notice what he says:

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." (Romans 1:18-32).

There is no doubt, at least in my mind, that the reason the church is becoming more and more apostate by the day is because of the fundamental rejection of God's method for biblical interpretation. It is the foundation upon which all biblical exegesis of the truth of the word of God stands. To this, the words of the Psalmist ring loud and clear, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalms 11:3).

Take, for instance, people who doubt their salvation. If a person rightly divides, they never need to doubt their salvation. No huckster can ever quote verses out of the Gospels or James or Hebrews or 1 John or the book of Revelation that would get me to doubt what I know God has written to me (Romans - Philemon). It is Paul alone who writes that I am "sealed until the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30). And it is Paul alone who writes, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-38). It is through Paul alone that we find "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." (2 Timothy 2:13). What need we of any further witnesses?

I dealt with a lady one time in a Pensacola nursing home who, after I finished preaching, was in an absolute state concerning her soul. She had no assurance of salvation, and my heart was broken for her. Her tears were no crocodile tears. They were genuine, heartfelt tears by a lady who was in open distress over her standing before a holy and righteous God. No matter how hard any of us who were there that day tried to show her from the word of God how she could know she had eternal life, she simply could not grasp the concept. It was as if she were blind. Now I'm not saying she was turned over to a reprobate mind, but that's exactly what God says He does to people who reject truth. It is the reason you have people sitting in church today that no matter what will stop their ears from hearing sound doctrine.

How did the JW's get into the mess they're in? They rejected the truth. How did the Moron's (I mean, Mormons) get into the mess they're in? They rejected the truth. How did the Seventh Day Nuttas (I mean, Adventists) get in the mess they are in? They rejected the truth. And the same goes for any church or person that does the same. This entire world was allowed to worship every kind of false idol conceived by man, because they held the truth of the word of God in unrighteousness. They rejected the light they were given. And such is the case with the apostasy in the church of our day. The rise of every cult and ism is a direct result of our not placing due emphasis on sound doctrine.

And this is the reason why Paul, when writing to his beloved Timothy, exhorts him to “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the DOCTRINE; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." Paul tells Timothy, the pastor of a local church, to take "heed... unto the doctrine," and "continue in them." That in doing so "thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." “Preach the word; he says, "be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and DOCTRINE.” (2 Timothy 4:2). This is the keynote in the tune.

Spurgeon, in his Lectures to His Students, Vol. 1, gives a more than ample illustration which will suffice us here. He states, "Traveling one day by express from Perth to Edinburgh, on a sudden we came to a dead stop, because a very small screw in one of the engines — every railway locomotive consisting virtually of two engines — had been broken, and when we started again we were obliged to crawl along with one piston-rod at work instead of two. Only a small screw was gone, if that had been right the train would have rushed along its iron road, but the absence of that insignificant piece of iron disarranged the whole. A train is said to have been stopped on one of the United States’ railways by flies in the grease-boxes of the carriage wheels. The analogy is perfect; a man [or church] in all other respects fitted to be useful, may by some small defect be exceedingly hindered, or even rendered utterly useless." That train sitting there idle on the track was vulnerable to every bandit, crook, and honest John for miles. And this is the church without right division: broken, crawling along with one piston-rod at work.

Lewis Sperry Chafer

Want to know how to build a strong church with strong Christians who can withstand the contrary winds of false doctrine (i.e., the Doctrines of Devils)? You do it by following the biblical example given in Holy Writ. You do it by giving heed to "sound doctrine."

Lewis Sperry Chafer, in his monumental work on Systematic Theology, writes, “...the one and only successful method of combating error is the positive declaration of the truth of God. A Spirit-filled, truth-imparting preacher will have little time or disposition to descend to mere controversy, but will give out the supernaturally efficacious message of God, against which no error can ever stand.”

May the grace of our Lord be with you all!